Vanessa Miller

This book was a fictional account based on true events... I always love these types of stories. I however had zero knowledge of the event. I wonder sometimes if that isn't better at least for enjoying the story. I am interested in researching more of the topic to learn about the true events. Anyway, for this book... I thought it was a great story. Louella is quickly established as a strong-willed character who wants equality. Her husband William is a bit more mild mannered; but somehow the two of them work really well together. I think the dynamic between them was really great.

William to an extent reigned in some of her more impulsive behavior and provided her with love... something she struggled to return just given the past she had lived. I think it was amazing to watch her grow and develop throughout the novel. She becomes very focused on finding a community for her people where they are treated with respect. Louella does a marvelous job of this I think... often using elements of the system in place to her advantage. I really enjoyed seeing a strong female character as the focus. I don't think we get enough of that in history books. I didn't realize the huge Christian focus this book had before I started reading and at times it was a bit much for me. However, overall I think this is a marvelous book. It really showcases resilence and determination.… (more)

Book Summary: In 1869 a kingdom rose in the South. And Louella was its queen. Over the twenty-four years she’s been enslaved on the Montgomery Plantation, Louella learned to feel one hate. Hate for the man who sold her mother. Hate for the overseer who left her daddy to hang from a noose. Hate so powerful there’s no room in her heart for love, not even for the honorable Reverend William, whom she likes and respects enough to marry. But when William finally listens to Louella’s pleas and leads the formerly enslaved people out of their plantation, Louella begins to replace her hate with hope. Hope that they will find a place where they can live free from fear. Hope that despite her many unanswered prayers, she can learn to trust for new miracles. Soon, William and Louella become the appointed king and queen of their self-proclaimed Kingdom of the Happy Land. And though they are still surrounded by opposition, they continue to share a message of joy and goodness—and fight for the freedom and dignity of all. Transformative and breathtakingly honest, The American Queen shares the unsung true history of a kingdom built as a refuge for the courageous people who dared to dream of a different way of life.

This book is based on the incredibly true story of former slaves coming together after the Civil War to create a community in North and South Carolina. This book follows the life of Louella Montgomery, a former slave desperate to leave the Montgomery plantation. In the area, there are many former slaves working as sharecroppers for their former slave owners. However, when the former owners cheated them out of their wages and land, a group of former slaves banded together and traveled to their new home in the Carolinas. Through a lot of hard work and with the assistance of a friendly face, the group was able to purchase acres of land for themselves. They pooled their resources and called their community “The Kingdom of the Happy Land” with the motto “All for one, and one for all”. Under the leadership of Louella and William (her husband), the group thrives and they later name William and Louella Montgomery King and Queen of Happy Land.

I loved this book. It is well researched, as referenced in the Author’s Note, and full of so much interesting information regarding this period in our history. The book delivers on the promise that with every turn of the page, readers would be transported back in time. Louella, the main character, shows growth as time progresses, moving from a life a powerless young woman consumed by hate to that of a matriarch filled with hope for her people. It is a story of perseverance, despite the hardships that were presented to former slaves. This is excellent historical fiction and I highly recommended it.

Thanks to NetGalley, Vanessa Miller, and Thomas Nelson for providing a complimentary copy of this book in hopes that I will leave my unbiased review. I was not required to leave a review, positive or otherwise, and the above review is simply my opinion of the book.

Star Rating: 4.5 Stars… (more)

What an amazing, tragic, nonetheless inspirational story of Louella, who was taken from her family as a young child and brought to work on the Montgomery Plantation. Louellia's heart was always racing to get away. However, William Louellia’s husband, desired to be obedient to his master. But when Abraham Lincoln emancipated the slaves, it was a game changer for everyone. Their master’s didn’t have to feed or clothe them anymore. All they had was promised wages for working the land. They were frequently unpaid by the master’s for months at a time. Where could they live? Their situation was worse now that they were free. It didn’t seem right.


Revolution struck. Slaves escaped the plantations. They needed to find a place where they could call home, support their families and live free. Then they came to North Carolina their promised land. It was hard work to build what they refer to as Happy Land. (which was based on a real place),

This story reminded me of when Pharaoh released the Israelites, then went after them to bring them back. I was engrossed in this compelling story as I read about their struggles and achievements, in Happy Land. It’s truly a gripping, page-turner. The author's debut historical fiction. It’s a must-read. I hope the author continues to write historical novels. If you haven’t read a book by this author, I highly recommend this one. It would be a wonderful pick for your book club. There is so much to discuss.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I requested and received a copy of this book by the publisher and NetGalley. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Nora St. Laurent
TBCN Where Book Fun Begins!
The Book Club Network blog https://psalm516.blogspot.com/… (more)

This is the fascinating true story of former slaves coming together as a collective to create a free community in North and South Carolina right after the Civil War. Many of these former slaves were sharecroppers for their former slave owners. However when the former owners reneged on their agreements and cheated them out of their wages and lands these people banded together and traveled to N/S Carolina and were able to purchase some amount of land for themselves as a group. Their motto was 'All for one, and one for all'. They pooled their resources and called their community 'The Kingdom of the Happy Land'. As a group they thrived under the leadership of their King and Queen, William and Louella Montgomery, both former slaves. They created a socialist type of society that actually worked quite well.

I loved this book, It is so well researched and full of so much interesting information regarding this period of history. It was difficult to read about the atrocities of slavery of course, but the author did her due diligence and told the unvarnished truth. I liked the snippets of hymns sung by the narrator during the telling of this audio book. This is excellent historical fiction. Highly recommended.

Thank you to Net Galley for the chance to listen/read an ARC version of this fascinating audio book.… (more)